How to choose bedside lights

Let there be light, but make sure it’s the right type for your needs, writes Bea Taylor.

Just like the perfect pair of earrings, bedside lights are the finishing touch a bedroom needs. But do you go for pretty pendants, detailed sconces, dynamic wall-mounted lights or stick with the classic lamp?

Citta stylist Sam Van Kan says pendant lights hung above a bedside table are becoming more and more popular in the bedroom.

‘‘They’re a great way to frame a bed, especially if you don’t have a bedhead. Hung at the right height, they can provide a soft, ambient light for your bedside.’’

Pendants are a great option if bedside table real estate is being taken up by books, candles and phones. They also add a decorative element and create visual interest in a room.

When installing pendant lights ensure that the light itself will give off enough illumination to do tasks at night.

You’ll also want to make sure they are hung at the right height. Van Kan suggests the bottom of the shade should hang below the eye line when sitting up in bed, and if you do have a bedhead to consider, about a third from the top of the bedhead.

If a pendant is hung too high it will look out of proportion and be totally un-practical as task lighting, too low and it will get bumped as you move in and out of bed.

Making sure the pendant lights can be switched off from the bed is a must.

Wall-mounted lights are a practical and flexible option. Like pendants, they free up space on a bedside table for other objects, and add a visual wall decor element. Because they are mounted directly to the wall and not hung from the ceiling, it’s a cleaner, more minimal look.

Unlike pendants, wall-mounted lights come in swing and rotatable options, so their light can be directed away or to the bed.

Of course the classic option is the